I think it's a valid point, however I think it'd be a very small % of people that actually go out and buy a machine. A 99cent game is a big difference from a $2000+ machine. Haha, With that said though The game personally revitalized my love for pinball and on the path of purchasing. It wouldn't be an option though if I hadn't just bought a house and have lots of free space.
Sorry about that! Sucks for me too as these increasing prices are gonna make it harder.

I think Pinball Arcade has something to do with it in my op. Its bringing more people into pinball. Also people who forgot they loved pinball and now remember how fun it was as a kid. Its sparking interest. It seems that not only RBION is going up. Seems to me like most pins are climbing in value due to supply and demand. Some more than others.

A small percentage is still a percentage. If 10 people started buying lots of machines suddenly because of that game, that would be 10 less games than you would usually see for sale. I know it was sort of a clencher for me, after playing Williams collection I said: 'That tears it, pinball is as fun as it was when I was a kid, I'm going to find some machines!', then I went to PAPA, then I had to have a machine, now I have to have another machine. Such a perfect storm.

Another factor although slim could be the 45 min video that Elwin has on pinball.org dominating the machine. There's a lot to do and that video pointed it out well to those who didn't give ripley's a chance.

Short answer, yes. Exposure=advertising=more people interested. If even a tiny % of the PA users want the real thing...that would be a large influx of new buyers.

I do agree that simulated pinball has had no small part in bringing the price and popularity of existing pinball machines up a lot. Pinball FX/Zen Pinball is huge and Farsight's recreations have been reminding people how great the classics are and also how you can't beat the real thing. Add to that a thriving PinMAME cummunity that are managing to make absolutely beautiful recreations of tables old and new and you have everything needed to create a resurgence in the hobby. It'll be interesting to see how long the novelty lasts for... and the prices.

Well for me a game like TOTAN has been on my list for a long time now, but after playing it a lot on my iPhone recently it's really moved up the list in terms of priority. I've heard other collectors mentioning this as well. Supply and demand will most likely cause the value of these games to rise as a result.

I don't think it has hurt. I think most pinball machines are rising in value now though. People realize that they can spend $6,000+ for a new Stern or get 3x the game for 1/3rd the price with an older game.

Personally, I have loved RBION for a long time. I think that a lot of people that wouldn't give the game a chance before are finally giving it a shot. It is definitely a game that needs to be played more than a few times. There is a lot to it and it is not forgiving. I would never sell mine unless someone offered me crazy money for it.

Pin prices are all about demand. Anything that raises that demand -- from simply forum talk and interest to a new emulation -- raises the price. I think undoubtedly the Pinball Arcade has raised the tables it features because it exposes more people to the gameplay. RBION is a good example (even though I particularly dislike it) as is Bride of Pinbot. You'll see demand increase for these games as they're launched and probably peak for quite a few months afterwards.

The same goes for a little-known game that's at a game show that many people get exposed to (Class of 1812 comes to mind). That title that had little interest before now has 5 or 6 people after it and it raises the price. Except now Pinball Arcade is exposing thousands of people to it.

I own games because of the williams hof xbox game.

I'm buying a ToM because of pincade.....and because i got a good price

It has the opposite affect on me. I don't want to own any of the PA releases as I feel they've done a great job of emulating the game in video format that I'm getting my fix taken care of. I'm more into finding and playing the games that are unpopular right now. Especially on my budget. lol

Clearly all of these games are being sought after for this reason. Like someone said. Its a big jump to go spend thousands on a game. Its a smaller jump when you played the heck out of it on your ipad. Now if you have money its a must have.

So more tables will mean higher prices. But eventually that will saturate. Right now you have all these new folks clammoring for a very small set of games they were exposed to. Spread it out and it lessons the figh for some. Also folks like me start doing the math or get an older table and realize we want new. Those folks will wonder off to the new games and leave the classics.

Give it some more time and it will calm down.

There doesn't seem to be a RBION near me, so The Pinball Arcade is really the only chance I've had to play it. Now I've been playing it for a month and would totally buy one. The fact that a few modes are 2 ball multiballs, and that you can't reach the wizard mode until you've fully completed 7 modes makes for extremely challenging game and totally rewards the player for their efforts. I've gotten to Atlantis twice, and it's extremely gratifying.

As mentioned, it didn't hurt. I wouldn't give it too much credit though. Up until recently (website redesign), the best player on the planet had it listed as his favorite game on the WPPR website (he has a sample game). He also did an epic video tutorial that everyone (except you?) has seen:

http://pinball.org/videos/tutorials/ripleys-believe-it-or-not/

When the best player on the the planet says it's a good game, people listen.

Did you capitalize Halo intentionally (gamer), or did autocorrect do that?

So, if you're Jersey Jack, does it pay to work with Pinball Arcade to get WOZ included?

_{Post edited by txstargazer3 : spelling}